AN INTRODUCTIONTO MEDIEVAL THEOLOGY

Medieval theology, in all its diversity, was radically theocentric,Trinitarian, Scriptural and sacramental. It also operated with a profoundview of human understanding (in terms of intellectus rather than mereratio). In a post-modern climate, in which the modern views on “auton-omous reason” are increasingly being questioned, it may prove fruitful tore-engage with pre-modern thinkers who, obviously, did not share ourmodern and post-modern presuppositions. Their different perspectivedoes not antiquate their thought, as some of the “cultured despisers” ofmedieval thought might imagine. On the contrary, rather than renderingtheir views obsolete, it makes them profoundly challenging and enrichingfor theology today. This book is more than a survey of key medievalthinkers (from Augustine to the late-medieval period); it is an invitationto think along with major theologians, and explore how their thoughtcan deeply challenge some of today’s modern and post-modern keyassumptions.

rik van nieuwenhove is Lecturer in Theology in Limerick,Ireland. He is the author of Jan van Ruusbroec, Mystical Theologianof the Trinity (2003) and co-author (with Declan Marmion) of AnIntroduction to the Trinity (Cambridge, 2011). He is co-editor (withJoseph Wawrykow) of The Theology of Thomas Aquinas (2005) and isthe principal editor (with collaboration from Rob Faesen and HelenRolfson) of Late Medieval Mysticism of the Low Countries (2008).

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AN INTRODUCTIONTO MEDIEVAL THEOLOGY

RIK VAN NIEUWENHOVE

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www.cambridge.orgInformation on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521897549

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Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication dataVan Nieuwenhove, Rik, 1967–

An introduction to medieval theology / Rik van Nieuwenhove.p. cm. – (Introduction to religion)isbn 978-0-521-89754-9 (hardback)

1. Theology, Doctrinal – History – Middle Ages, 600–1500. I. Title.bt26.v36 2012230.09002–dc232011049746

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To Anna and Muireann

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Ad decimumquartum dicendum, quod ex quo intellectus noster divinamsubstantiam non adaequat, hoc ipsum quod est Dei substantia remanet, nostrumintellectum excedens, et ita a nobis ignoratur: et propter hoc illud est ultimumcognitionis humanae de Deo quod sciat se Deum nescire, in quantum cognoscit,illud quod Deus est, omne ipsum quod de eo intelligimus, excedere.

Thomas Aquinas, De Potentia, q.7 a.5 ad 14 (cf. pages 182–83)

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Contents

List of abbreviations page ix

1 Introduction 1

part i the legacy of the fathers 5

2 Augustine of Hippo 7

3 Monks and scholars in the fifth and sixth centuries: JohnCassian, Boethius and Pseudo-Dionysius 27

part ii early medieval theologians 37

4 Gregory the Great 39

5 John Scottus Eriugena 56

part iii the eleventh and twelfth centuries 75

6 Introduction: renewal in the eleventh and twelfth centuries 77

7 Anselm of Canterbury 83

8 Monks and scholars in the twelfth century: Peter Abelard,William of St. Thierry and Bernard of Clairvaux 99

9 Hugh of St. Victor 120

10 Richard of St. Victor 137

11 Peter Lombard and the systematization of theology 147

vii

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part iv the thirteenth century 167

12 Introduction 169

13 Thomas Aquinas 171

14 Bonaventure 211

15 The Condemnations of 1277 225

16 John Duns Scotus 229

part v the fourteenth century and beyond 247

17 Introduction 249

18 William of Ockham 253

19 Meister Eckhart 264

20 Jan van Ruusbroec and the Modern Devotion 276

21 Epilogue 284

Bibliography 285Index 291

viii Contents

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Abbreviations

Brevil. Breviloquium (Bonaventure)CDH Cur Deus Homo (Anselm of Canterbury)Comm. Jn Commentary on JohnComm. on Rom Commentary on RomansConfer. Conferences (John Cassian)Confess. Confessions (Augustine)Consol. The Consolation of Philosophy (Boethius)CT Compendium of Theology (Thomas Aquinas)De Civ. Dei De Civitate Dei (Augustine)De Doctr. Christ. De Doctrina Christiana (Augustine)De Lib. Arb. De Libertate Arbitrii (Anselm of Canterbury)De Pot. De Potentia (Thomas Aquinas)De Prim. Princ. De Primo Principio (Duns Scotus)De Sacr. De Sacramentis Christiane Fidei (Hugh of St. Victor)De Trin. De Trinitate (Augustine)De Ver. De Veritate (Thomas Aquinas)Dial. The Dialogues (Gregory the Great)Didasc. Didascalicon (Hugh of St. Victor)DTD De Tribus Diebus (Hugh of St. Victor)Enarr. in Ps. Enarrationes in Psalmos (Augustine)Enchir. Enchiridion (Augustine)Hex. Collationes in Hexaemeron (Bonaventure)Hom. Ev. Forty Homilies on the Gospels (Gregory the Great)Hom. Ez. Homilies on Ezekiel (Gregory the Great)Lect. Lectura (Duns Scotus)Mor. Moralia in Iob (Gregory the Great)MW The Major Works – Anselm of CanterburyMyst. Trin. Disputed Questions on the Mystery of the Trinity

(Bonaventure)Op. Ox. Opus Oxoniense (Duns Scotus)

ix

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Ordin. OrdinatioPast. Reg. Pastoral Rule (Gregory the Great)Quodlib. Quodlibetal Questions (William of Ockham)Rep. Par. Reportatio Parisiensis (Duns Scotus)ScG Summa contra Gentiles (Thomas Aquinas)Sent. Commentary on Peter Lombard’s SentencesST Summa Theologiae (Thomas Aquinas)TSB Theologia Summi Boni (Peter Abelard)

x List of abbreviations

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